Saturday, December 27, 2008

Heat your home with coal-save money

'Coals vary in quality, but on average, a ton of coal contains about as much potential heat as 146 gallons of heating oil or 20,000 cubic feet of natural gas, according to the Energy Information Administration. A ton of anthracite, a particularly high grade of coal, can cost as little as $120 near mines in Pennsylvania. The equivalent amount of heating oil would cost roughly $380, based on the most recent prices in the state — and over $470 using prices from December 2007. An equivalent amount of natural gas would cost about $480 at current prices.'~Link

That makes sense. The NYT has a few more satisfied customers.

Mr. Ridlington said he was typically burning 1,500 gallons of oil each winter to heat his 3,300-square-foot home. At last year’s prices, that would have cost about $7,000, he said. This winter, he expects to burn nine tons of coal at a cost of about $1,400.

“The initial cost was expensive,” he said. “But in three to five years, it’ll be paid for, even with prices going down. And if fuel goes back up again, it’ll be even more savings.”

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

The Evil Deeds of Dominion Power - $1 Million

After all the protests against our new power plant and all the whining about how evil Dominion Power is...

ABINGDON, Va. – The energy company building a $1.8 billion power plant outside St. Paul also is putting $1 million into food banks, mostly in Virginia, Dominion officials announced Monday. “It’s a holiday hardship, it’s a Christmas hardship, it’s an economic hardship,” said James Beazley, spokesman for the Dominion Foundation, of the current stress on agencies that distribute food to the hungry. “It’s a perfect storm right now for the food banks.” Beazley presented a check for $50,000 Monday morning to Edd Roberts, resource development officer for the Appalachian branch of the Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank in downtown Abingdon. According to a news release from Dominion, the Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources, is giving $555,000 to food banks in Virginia and North Carolina and a total of $550,000 to food banks in 12 other states. “For every dollar that’s donated, we can turn that into $6 worth of food,” Roberts said. “This money will go a long way to help people struggling with one of the most basic of all human needs, and that’s food.” The total donation will provide 21.4 million pounds of food throughout the company’s service area. Two members of Virginia’s legislative delegation were on hand Monday to give remarks about the corporate gift from the parent company of Dominion Virginia Power, which is building the power plant. “We’re very thankful to have your company down here in Southwest Virginia,” said Delegate Dan Bowling, D-Richlands. State Sen. William Wampler, R-Bristol, said Dominion is a “very good corporate partner. We look forward to you continuing with your benevolence.” But, Wampler said, the story that should be told is of “a caring commonwealth” – which he is hopeful will infuse an additional $1 million into Virginia’s food banks from a struggling state budget.LINK

Thank you Dominion! The food banks and the patrons get some relief. And to date those Mountain Stewards and protesters have donated what? I will have some pictures of the plants stack in a few days. It is a awesome site to behold. I cant wait to see it online, steam floating into the air as coal is being mined, processed, and hauled to the plant.

Accidental Discharge is nothing to joke about - Video

How many mistakes did this "professional" make?

Amazing. My Dad told me this when he was teaching me to clean his guns. Rule #1 Treat every gun like it was loaded with the safety off. If super cop had learned from my dad he would not have shot himself in the leg in front of a room full of school kids.

He appears to give the pistol a good visual check. He even walks to his left to use the extra light from the overhead projector and show the "empty" gun to the guy standing against the wall. How did he not see a 40 caliber cartridge? Also notice what a calm room full of kids...Like I said, amazing.

Monday, December 22, 2008

The Fourth Annual Carnival of Christmas and a Challenge

I have always publicized the Carnival of Christmas and this year will be no different. Cathouse Chat will host the event again this year so I know it will be done right. For those who don't know about the Carnival, Kat breaks it down for you.

Here is the general premise: I am calling for submissions from bloggers for their posts which celebrate the joy of this season. Family memories, favorite recipes, Christmas stories, meditations on the birth of Christ, thoughts on how to focus on the true meaning of the season vs. commercialism, and so on. I will happily include Hanukkah posts as well, or even Kwanzaa, so long as everyone remembers to focus on the joy and love and wonder of the season.

I would ask that anyone who sends in a post for inclusion in the Carnival please be respectful of these guidelines; I will not accept political posts, diatribes, or any commercial-type articles. Take a look at last year's Carnival, the one from 2006, or the first one, and you'll have an excellent idea of what the Carnival is all about.

Some things I would love to have - and for which I will give proper credit, of course - are Christmas-themed photos that I can pepper through the post (as I did last year), as well as some more Christmas music entries.

Hard deadline for submissions to the Carnival is December 23rd, and I plan to post the Carnival here on CatHouse Chat sometime on Christmas Eve. At the moment, I do NOT have access to the Blog Carnival account, so please send submissions to my blog e-mail: cathousechat@gmail.com (with the proper modifications, of course!). Please note: that e-mail is NOT the e-mail on the right column; I need to keep the Carnival e-mails separate so I can keep track of them properly.

Read all about it here. I challenge all my ODBA brothers and sisters to represent. Most of us have Christmas themed posts up already so all you have to do is submit them by emailing Kat at cathousechat@gmail.com. Include your blogs name and the permalinks to your posts. I am sure a thank you to Kat would be appreciated. Hosting a carnival is a lot of work and I thank Kat for her hard work to keep this tradition going. Lets make this one the biggest one yet!

SWAC Land Toys For Tots Gets Spanked and a few of my favorite people

The guy sitting on the right is my friend Chris Green AKA Spanky. He is talking to United Conservatives of Virginia blogger Cargosquid. In the background, Alton the heathen Foley, Concrete Bob and my hero the lady Flora McDonald.

All these people are Virginia bloggers. More importantly they are all grass root activists for conservative politics, supporting the military, and Old Dominion Blog Alliance members. These are the people that blog for the cause, but they also put feet on the ground and knock on doors. They all understand that blogging is a form of activism, but nothing replaces the manual labor of ground work. These folks do way more than type to support the cause. They check their blogging egos at the door.

"Much of the leg work was done by local Marine Chris Green. He organized the local leathernecks into a toy collecting Machine. He garnered the help of some local bloggers. He got lots of people on board. He had a raffle with some great prizes to aid the kiddies. He got a Marine with a big white Beard to play Santa many many times.(Great job Larry) The big lug even had a cookie bake sale out at T-Bone Tooters. A big ole Semper Fi shout out to Chris."

Way to go SWAC crew. "700 families and 1700 children will get toys on Christmas day because of our local Marines." Check the Toys for Tots website out here.

The lesson is clear. Blogging helped the Toys for Tots drive, but leadership and ground work filled the baskets with toys. You know on any given day you can read blogs complaining about losing this and not getting that, blaming this and that, offering up all kinds of advice to the GOP and RPV......Don't get me wrong, there are some great writers in Virginia. But writing did not fill those baskets anymore than it wins or loses elections.

So what did you do for Christmas? I hope it was more than blog. Merry Christmas.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Rick Boucher King of Pork?

My congressman, the feckless democrat Rick Boucher gets a double dose this morning for his love of pork. Jerry From on High has Why Boucher Is Licking His Chops ...Jerry rightfully takes issue with ole Feckless's use of transportation funds to restore the abandoned Bristol Train Station....A $5 million dollar investment into a abandoned station?

Where'd that money come from? A big chunk of it came from the federal transportation budget. And who was the idiot who acquired it from desperately needed transportation funds? Rick Boucher. ~ From on High

Early this week Congressman Rick Boucher was shown on a local TV station extolling the merits of his latest vote buying bid to build another museum in Southwest Virginia, using transportation department funds.

At least $1.5 million of transportation funds were used to renovate the Bristol Train Station. Here again Boucher, Senator Warner and Tennessee politicians were involved in this misuse of transportation funds.

One of the more egregious examples of misuse is the $750 million secured by Boucher to build horse trails in a national forest.

In Virginia, adequate funds aren’t available to maintain existing highways, much less build new ones. Yet we continue to allow our elected officials to buy our votes and defend their actions by stating the mantra that state/federal laws mandate spending transportation funds for non-transportation projects.

Who is to blame? We, the voters, who act like pigs at the trough when it comes to taking this “free money.” The only way to change this is to send a clear message to both parties that this misuse of funds must cease.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

CNA - "Abortion industry bailout"

Washington DC, Dec 16, 2008 / 07:56 pm (CNA).- A strategy document from a coalition of abortion rights groups which outlines their agenda for an Obama administration has been made public. Asking for more than $1 billion in funding, the plan seeks to overturn restrictions on the use of taxpayer funds for abortions and aspires to place pro-abortion partisans in judicial and political positions.

One pro-life organization characterized the plan as an "abortion industry bailout."

The 55-page plan, titled "Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration," was published on the web site of President-elect Barack Obama. It bears the label "produced by an outside party and submitted to the Obama-Biden transition project."

The plan was signed by groups which include the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and International Planned Parenthood Federation of America. It was also signed by a group which calls itself "Catholics for Choice."

Writing in the plan, abortion advocates call for the abolition of restrictions on taxpayer funding for abortions:

Man plays same lottery number 11 times, wins $1.1M

What in the ....

HAMPTON, Va. (AP) -- A Hampton man has won the Virginia Lottery's Cash 5 top prize of $100,000, and won it, and won it. Lottery officials said the man won $1.1 million after playing the same numbers on 11 tickets for the same drawing. Each winning ticket gives the man $100,000.

Lottery officials haven't identified the man, who was scheduled to claim his winnings Tuesday afternoon at the lottery service center in Hampton. Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://www.pilotonline.com

Fair Representation? - No Southerners yet in Obama Cabinet

I'm outraged.

Barack Obama is 15 picks into his Cabinet — he announced New Yorker Shaun Donovan as his Housing and Urban Development head on Saturday—but has yet to name one who hails from the South. "Not a one," grumbles a one senior Democratic aide who hails from the South. "Not even half of one, unless you count Hillary Clinton, and she doesn't count because she's not even an Arkansan anymore. She's a Yankee." Link

Editorial Praises Wise County School Superintendent

Wise County's school board voted to consolidate a while back. The anti consolidators will not accept the decision. Our new Superintendent is showing leadership. The Kingsport Times writes -

Hats off to Superintendent Jeff Perry for his calm, steady leadership as a series of forums on school consolidations proceeds in Wise County.

Although the school board has already made its intention to trim the number of county high schools from six to three last month on a 5-3 vote, consolidation continues to be a controversial subject with many Wise residents.

The Wise BOE seeks to merge the student populations of Pound High School with J.J.Kelly High School in one new facility, Appalachia and Powell Valley in Big Stone Gap in another, and Coeburn and St. Paul in a third new high school.

While site locations and cost projections have yet to be determined, the BOE has indicated its desire to construct the new facilities more or less an equal distance between the affected communities if possible. But it has fallen primarily to Superintendent Perry to keep consolidation’s ardent foes from derailing a constructive discussion on what the three new proposed high schools would include. Needless to say, that’s not been an easy task. But to his credit, Perry has politely but firmly insisted on steering the forum discussions away from endlessly re-fighting the board’s consolidation vote to more productive ground.

As Perry told a group of residents at one recent forum, the goal of these public meetings is a two-way affair: it allows BOE and school officials to explain how consolidation would work, and it gives parents and other Wise Countians a chance to provide their ideas of how to make the new schools the best they can be.

But, Perry warned, if a minority continues to fight consolidation, that opportunity for a dialogue that can improve Wise schools will be lost. READ it ALL

Yes it's time to move ahead. The subject has been discussed for years. A vote was taken. Proceed sir.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Saturday Night Video

Kenny Wayne Shepherd- Blue On Black (Acoustic)

Night falls , and I'm alone Skin, yeah chilled me to the bone You, turned and you ran, Oh yeah, Oh slipped, right from my hand Hey Blue on black Tears on a river Push on a shove It don't mean much Joker on jack Match on a fire Cold on ice A dead mans touch Whisper on a scream Doesn't change a thing Don't bring you back Blue on black Oh yeah, blue on black Blind, oh, now I see Truth, lies, and in between Wrong, cant be undone Oh slipped, from the tip of Your tongue Hey Blue on black Tears on a river Push on a shove It don't mean much Joker on jack Match on a fire Cold on ice A dead mans touch Whisper on a scream Doesn't change a thing Doesn't bring you back, yeah Blue on black Oh, blue on black Oh, yeah (solo) Blue on black Tears on a river Push on a shove It don't mean much Joker on jack Match on a fire Cold on ice Is a dead mans touch Whisper on a scream Doesn't change a thing Don't bring you back Blue on black Oh yeah, blue on black Hey Blue on black Tears on a river Push on a shove It dont mean much Joker on jack Match on a fire Cold on ice Is a dead mans touch Whisper on a scream Doesn't change a thing Doesn't bring you back Blue on black Oh, blue on black Oh oh, blue on black Oh, blue on black

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Happy Birthday Dad

My Dad is 74 today. His faith in God is rock solid. His love for family has always been his priority. I have never known a more loving and gentle man. Here are a few pictures and one of his favorite songs. Check it out.

Obama and Blagojevich

Politico asks 7 Questions of Obama that deserve answers. Here is the first.

1 – “Did you communicate directly or indirectly with Blagojevich about picking your replacement in the U.S. Senate?”Obama issued a categorical statement Tuesday that he personally hadn’t spoken with Blagojevich about the seat — but seemed to correct himself in a way that suggested others around Obama might have. “I had no contact with the governor or his office and, so we were not – I was not aware of what was happening," Obama said. Yet, according to prosecutors’ characterizations of Blagojevich’s wiretapped telephone conversations, the Illinois governor seemed to believe he had a channel of communications with Obama’s team. For instance, Blagojevich was recorded speaking to a union official who Blagojevich “understood … was an emissary” to discuss the interest of Obama confidant Valerie Jarrett in the seat, according to the criminal complaint unveiled Tuesday. But at some point, Blagojevich seemed to become aware that Obama’s team had no interest in his favored option – he would pick Jarrett in exchange for being named secretary of health and human services, prosecutor allege. How did he know that?

Happy Birthday Brother

I just talked to your little girl. She is not so little now. You would be proud of her bro. She could use some help now bro...help I am finding hard to give. So if you can hear me, touch her Dave.

I drive by your place on my way to and from work...I look over hoping to see you standing there. cap on, beer in hand. I still have your profile saved on my PS2 memory card. I play a round of golf against you often. What I would give for one more day with you old friend. one more laugh, one more drink....One more hug. I do have the girl and Brother I promise I am doing my best. Always.

Some Local Rock

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

About the United Auto Workers and Unions

You readers know how I feel about Unions. Their time has passed. The United Mine workers are a perfect example. A dwindling membership because the welfare of workers is not the number one priority anymore. Instead of taking my union dues cash and investing it in my pension, they throw that money to political campaigns and parties. The union employees are over paid and corruption is included in every aspect of their existence.

The unions believe all workers are equal. As a man that has worked since I was 14 (summer youth employment program) one thing I do know as a fact is that "all workers are equal" is bullshit. A few years ago I wrote that Union jobs create mediocrity. Bristol Herald Courier blogger Jody Lee has a great little video that sums it up here. Take a few minutes to watch Jody tell it like it is! Then look at the big three auto companies and compare them to the others and you will see why those Honda, Toyota, Nissan workers vote the unions out 99% of the time. Unions kill the spirit of the worker and that shows in the product or service they represent. After my last involvement with the United Mine Workers I vowed I would never pay union dues again. That was about 8 years ago and I still have not changed my mind. Unions are no longer about the benefits of the worker. They are all about politics and cash....lots of cash earned with labor, given to a political party that may or may not fit your beliefs. As a worker walks a picket line starving and losing everything he or she owns, that union organizer's pay check keeps on rolling in on time. As the workers sacrifice, the union employee profits, his pension grows as yours declines. My brothers keeper indeed.

Monday, December 08, 2008

New Blog - GinnyPub

I grew up in Martinsville. It’s a small mill and furniture-manufacturing town in the Piedmont district of Virginia. The ever-decreasing population is an eclectic mix of socialists, rednecks and chronically unemployed “victims” governed by a nest of corrupt democrats. I fit in there like a foot in a glove.

My husband of 30 years comes from beautiful Richlands, VA (Richlands….aaaahhhh), but he grew up in Canebrake and Berwind West Virginia. We’ve lived in Henrico, VA for the past 25 years where we raised our 2 children. Our daughter gave birth to our first grandchild on her 27th birthday, Sept. 29, 2007. Our son is 31 and is a computer programmer. Always a groomsman, never a groom, he’s an all-around nice guy who loves to travel.

BELIEFS

I’m a black and white kind of person who doesn’t have much use for “nuance”.

The word intellectual makes me a little nauseated.

I believe in good and evil and could care less what happened in someone’s childhood that made them evil.

I believe that God created Heaven, Earth and mankind. It always amazes me that folks who consider the Holy Bible some kind of ignorant, right-wing, religious fanaticism are the same ones who believe in a giant galactic explosion that created organisms which turned into monkeys that magically transformed into humans.

I am an unapologetic, flag-waving, patriotic Republican.

I believe that corn is food, NOT fuel.

I believe the National Education Association has turned the public school system into a machine that manufactures little androgynous socialists.

I believe in mandatory sentencing for anyone convicted of raping a child and I loathe those who advocate for “rehabilitation” of the rapist as much as I loathe the rapist.

I believe that our colleges and universities should NOT hire PLO spokesmen, domestic terrorists, members of the KKK or members of the Soros Open Society Institute.

Everything You Ever Wanted to know about I'm Not Emeril

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Huckabee Visits Bristol

BRISTOL, Va. – Ten seconds. That was the average amount of time it took former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to smile, shake hands, sign at least one copy of his new book and speak briefly Friday with each of about 500 people waiting in line at the Books-A-Million store in The Highlands retail center. He posed for photos, thanked each for coming, apologized for the wait, wished them a Merry Christmas and received an outpouring of support and encouragement in return. The Bristol stop was one of three scheduled Friday, amid a 57-city tour for the Fox News broadcaster and former presidential candidate who is promoting his new book, “Do the Right Thing.” link

His book and message?

“In the book, I want to try to remind people the Republican Party and the conservative movement isn’t dead,” Huckabee said. “We’re not in trouble because of conservatism, it’s because we advertised something and didn’t deliver.” The book also projects Huckabee’s philosophy of changing the country. “We need to get back to some common sense that is missing in government. I’m convinced there are a lot of people in Congress breathing rarefied air, that gives them a total disconnect with the rest of the world,”

Yes, that pretty well gets to the core “We’re not in trouble because of conservatism, it’s because we advertised something and didn’t deliver.”

The John Brownlee campaign is offering a *free bus ride and admission* to those who would like to attend the Don Huffman Republican Advance at the luxurious Homestead resort in Bath County. The bus would depart Saturday 12-5 about 6:30 a.m and return about 6 p.m.

The Saturday meeting in part will decide the direction of the Republican party after this November’s elections, and include some leadership training and campaign training as well. See attachment for more details or visit the RPV web for an expanded view of the announcement.

Please respond as soon as possible if you are interested. This would be a great opportunity for our College Republicans as well.

Thank you for all you are doing to support the growth of our unit

That's the story folks. How many other candidates and unit chairs have organized doing this very same thing? Can you say the smart ones did. I don't understand why the Cooch supporters are against a rural county chair organizing Republicans to attend and be involved in the GOP. I think we can all see who is really scared and it is not Brownlee or his supporters. I hope these Republicans at Tazewell hop on the bus and get involved. One thing is clear though - Cooch missed the bus.

And while the press and blogs made a big deal out of Sarah Palin and clothes, Bob Barr and a few others were doing the same thing.

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Turns out AlaskaGov. Sarah Palin wasn't the only candidate with donor-financed duds. At least five candidates used campaign money for clothing, according to a complaint that a watchdog group filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said the campaigns of Democratic Reps. Loretta Sanchez of California and Rob Andrews of New Jersey, Republican candidates Bill Dew of Utah and William Breazeale of North Carolina and Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr each spent hundreds of dollars on clothing. Read it all at the Chicago Tribune.

And all the while the press blew this story up, old Bob sat quietly...What a man. Now his campaign says they did nothing wrong. I never had a problem with the clothes ordeal. I do find it humorous that Barr sat silently as they grilled Palin...wearing his donor paid for duds, only now to cry we did nothing wrong.

The following law enforcement officials have endorsed John Brownlee to be Virginia's next Attorney General.

The Honorable Ronald Elkins - Commonwealth’s Attorney for Wise County and Norton City

The Honorable Ronnie Oaks - Sheriff, Wise County

Other law enforcement officers from my area that are supporting Brownlee are

The Honorable Jerry Wolfe-Commonwealth’s Attorney for City of Bristol The Honorable Shawn Hines-Commonwealth’s Attorney for Lee County The Honorable Gary Parsons-Sheriff, Lee County The Honorable Tamara Neo-Commonwealth’s Attorney for Buchanan County The Honorable Ray Foster-Sheriff, Buchanan County The Honorable Bobby Hammons-Sheriff, Dickenson County

Monday, December 01, 2008

Jerry's Message From On High

Congratulations to Jerry over at From On High. He has published his 10,000th post today. No simple feat, and we are grateful here. He has a quote on his sidebar that says "It is a wise man who plants a tree in the shade of which he knows he will never sit." Mine would have to be "It is a Wise Girl who lets Kilo have his first cup of coffee and From On High before we share our morning!" Thanks Jerry for easing the transition from sleepy eyes to wide awake growling or howling- we never know if we will be laughing or crying.